US Road Trip Epilog: 27th June 2005

A fairly direct drive 200 miles east across Pennsylvania, starting off on Highway 220 before joining Highway 118 to Wilkes-Barre. Not as scenic as previous days - certainly on the Interstate parts of the 220 - but traffic is light and the motoring easy.

On the way into Wilkes-Barre we sit and roast in the traffic before finding the Best Western downtown. Better news at the motel, though, where we find cheap rates, nice rooms and wireless internet access - only in the bar, but that's no great hardship ...

Downtown Wilkes-Barre, featuring a mosque on the left and a church and the Masonic temple on the right.

Walking around downtown reveals an amazing amount of, er, bugger all. After a few beers we find a diner for some food. It's really quite hot outside but the inside of the diner is even worse - the aircon is broken and the kitchen is open to the seating area. I doubt if they've ever seen two people guzzle Cokes and eat their food quite so fast. It's a relief to get back outside again.

Rainbow over Wilkes-Barre.

Nothing for it then but to find some beers and head back to the motel to watch The Blues Brothers on TV. The enjoyment of the film is slightly hampered by the fact that they've dubbed-over all the swearing - so rendering the scene where they visit The Penguin in her office completely incomprehensible - but it's still a great film. A pizza on delivery seems appropriate, and makes up for the poor food at the diner.